Liquid heating device



Patented Dec. 16, 1952 UNITED PATENT OFFICE LIQUID' 'HEATING DEVICE TageV; PedersenpRosc'oe, Ill.

".ApplicatioiiYSeDtember 1651948, Serial No. 493189 "lfl' Claims. 1 Thisinventionrelates to"anfimproved heating device for'use in Obtainingafavorable temperaturecondition of the liquid contained in the jacket.sp'ace' of an engine, "or the like.

11am fully aware of themanypriorheating .these devices has been in theexpensive; inst'alla- 'ltions required, that isinthe requirementofspecially-Jprepared' jacket tap ports," and: the need for space toaccommodate the necessary tubing leading between the heating device andfea 'ch' of the-jacket ports. Jinlxthe attempts to provide a high'"capacity. heat source whereby the jacket. liquid could be heated.ysiifficiently to carry? the heat intothe vnormal radiator unit for theengine.

I have found. that it is necessary only to gain I a favorabletemperature conditionin'thejacket -spaceslof an engine, 'and' that acomparatively -low capacity heater will maintain" the jacket@liquidsiifiiciently' warm to reduce the viscosity of .thelubricatingfoils on" the cylinderwalls and enf a'ble easy enginestarting. I Accordingly; 'an-important object of this invention residesin the .provision of a heating device which will accomfplish-Qthe vabove stated purposes.

TIt is also. an objectmff'the invention "to provide simple jheatingldevice which: is adapted foriconnectionwith the'jacket.space oianengine at. .only. one jacket port, ltherebylsirnplyfing' the problem. orinstallation and materially.- reducing .the expense connected therewith.

.. I.A.further. object of. my inventionis to. be foundin.lthe..provision of a heater device which per- -forrn's'its functioninan intermittent or percola torLprocessof. imparting heat to a.relatively sniall volume. of. fluid. and inwhich theifluid is rapidlyconverted to an expanded vaporcapabler-ofselfdischarge .into the largervolume'of jacket" fluid.

..Other: objects of the. invention. are to be found inltheYform,construction and assembly of the several cooperating parts of thepresentheating .device,"a110f whichcontribute to thesimple,unitaryanature thereofy and conduce to its inexpensive initial cost.

-The' features-and method of installing my improvedheating device areclearly shown'in the accompanying drawing, and a full understanding In"principle,

A further difficulty has been v "thereof may" be"had from the=descript-ionf 'given -'withr'eferencethereto.

In" the drawing:

Fig. 1 illustrates one "method of installing the 5 presentheating'-'-device' in connection witl'r a jacket-structure of aliquidcooled enginefor'the dike;

"Fig. 2illustrates another installation of the heatingdevice, as well asindicating its constructionin longitudinal section, and

Fig.3 is a 'transversesection of the device taken at line 3'3 "in Fig.2.

In the-drawing; the-presently improved heating device (Fig. 2)""'maybeseen to'comprise a tubular metal housing lhaving a-reduceddiameterthroat zone 2 adj acent theexternally'thread- "ed end nipplep'ortion 3',a metal heaterunit cell "element 4' nested inwardly of the slightlydiamn etrally"enlargedopenend portion 5 of-thehousing hand a closure cap6 slidably'mounted'over the housing end 5. The cell element 4 isprovidedwith a flange 1 at its outer open'end,"and.this lflange I is adapted toseat againsttheinternal ""shouldered 'zone' 8of"the' housing I. "Whenas-"sembled', the celllfl'ange T is adapted to be brazed "'or' otherwiseaflixed'to the'shouldered Zone 3120 form a complete seal; whereby the'interior :space 9? of the housing is. fully closed opposite themounting nipple end 3.

.Ther'heatingnnit for disposition within' the cell element 4 iscomprised; of" a. spool body f I 0 formed of. ceramic or'other'insulator material, and Ianelectrical resistance coil 1 I carried by.the spool. As i'ndicated'," the spool I0 is formed with an""en1argedbase end 'IZ, a similarly...enlarg"ed .head end'l3. and an. interveningcylindrical. body zone hlYvvhich is diametrally reduced. The-base end] 2is formed with a .diametral slot-l5 which communicates with .an. axiallydirected bore 46,

the. latter. bore extending throughthe spooli'and opening at thew headvend I 3. The enlargedhe'ad -end 13 of the spool isprovided at onezonewithv a peripheral notch 11' which extends axiallylthere- .Tthrough.'Ihespool .lo-is also: provided.-with 45 axially directed anddiametrally spaced sockets 5o spool In in the following manner..One-end. of

--the coil .wire is wound about one post element l 9 ..and.the wire isthen-threaded throughthe .axial bore l6 and. passed radially outwardlyalong the ebasevend slot l 5. Thecslot i 5 is-made sufficient- 55 1ydeep (axially of the spool) to open in the body zone l4, andconsequently the wire may be brought directly onto the body where it iswound in a spiral coil over the full length of the body 14. In order toprevent the coil turns from contacting, the body [4 is spirally groovedor surficially threaded to a depth sufficient for purposes of trappingeach turn. After completing the coil H, the end of the wire is droppedinto the peripheral notch l1 and wound about the opposite terminal post[9.

The completed coil on the spool i is placed in the cell element 4, therefirst having been applied a coating of a nonconductive cement over theentire assembly to fix the same in place and assure that there can be nocontact of the wire with the metal cell walls. The cap 6 is providedwith an insulator bushing in its center aperture, and a current supplycord 2| is passed through this bushing. The individual wire strands 22of the cord 2| are separated, stripped of insulation and secured one toeach of the terminal post elements l9 by means of solderless connectors23. The opposite end of the cord 2| is provided with a proper plug (notshown) for connection into a 110 volt current source. source may beeither alternating or direct current.

Prior to pressing cap 6 into place on the enlargement 5 of housing I,the outer end space thereof is filled with a body 24 of insulating cement or the like to secure and maintain the separate disposition of thecurrent wires 22 and the post elements 19. It is now fully apparent thatthe heating unit is completely insulated against short circuitingcontact with any adjacent portion of the metal of the cell 4, cap 5 orhousing I. It is also important to note, that the grooves or threadedchannel formed in the surface of the spool body I4 serves to locate andretain the several turns of the coil l I in spaced relation, someadditional assistance being derived from the application of thenonconductive cement coating over the coil.

The heating device, as constructed and assembled in the manner abovedescribed, is adapted for mounting in a threaded port 24 formed in theboss zone 25 of a jacket wall 25 associated with the body or block 2'!of an engine (not shown). The preferred location of the port 24 is at alow zone of the jacket space 28 for the engine. In Fig. 1, the nippleend 3 of the device is shown as threaded directly into the port 24,final turning up of the device being had by means of the tool engagingflats formed exteriorly on the surface of the throat zone 2. In thismounting, the heating device extends substantially horizontally of theengine and the fluid in the jacket space 28 flows into and fills thechamber or space 9 of the device. A preferred method of mounting thedevice is shown in Fig. 2, wherein the use of an adapter fitting 30 ofangular type is shown. The fitting 30 is first threaded into jacket port24 with its outer angularly directed end turned downwardly. The devicemay then be threaded into the fitting, whereby it will assume an angularposition with its nipple end 3 uppermost. The engine cooling fluid willthen flow downwardly into the space 9 of the device, and in this angulardisposition of the device there will be no pocket or area likely to trapthe fluid or fluid vapors generated by the heat passing through thewalls of the cell element 4.

In operation, the heating device is threadedly mounted in the port 24formed in the engine jacket wall at a low point of the entire jacketedspace for such engine. The cooling fluid will then The flow by gravityinto the chamber 9 of the device, and any air initially trapped in thechamber 9 will eventually be expelled. The cord 2| is then connectedwith a suitable source of current, and the heating coil H will then beenergized. The coil H generates heat rapidly and in a concentrated orlocalized zone. The fluid in chamber 9 receives the heat and is rapidlychanged to a vaporous condition, as steam, to cause its expulsion fromthe chamber 9 into the jacket space 28. After the heated vapors leavethe chamber 9, the cooler liquid of the jacket will enter and, in turn,be converted to vapor by contact at the outer surfaces of the cell 4.This liquid-to-vapor generating and expelling process continues so longas the current is on the coil II, and in this manner the entire body ofjacket fluid may be warmed either by direct contact with the cell 4 orby mingling with the heated vapors passing from the device into theengine jacket. The action of the device is that of a percolator, inwhich a liquid is brought into a confined zone, and is heated rapidly toexpand and vaporize theliquid, or a sufiicient quantity thereof toeffect its selfexpulsion from the heating zone. In the present device,the inflow of liquid and the outflow of ex.- panded liquid and vaporoccurs through a common passage, thereby making the conditions ofreverse flow intermittent. Consequently, there is no circulation, assuch, through the device, and the expense and diiiiculty of providing aone-way circulating system is avoided.

Having now fully described and explained the preferred form of myinvention, I wish it to be understood that certain structuralmodifications may be possible therefor, without avoiding the scope ofthe invention as defined in the following claims:

I claim:

1. The combination with an engine having a cooling liquid jacket space,of a heater device mountable in a wall of the jacket, the device beingformed to provide a chamber for receiving jacket liquid and a restrictedport opening to the jacket space, and a heating unit carried by saiddevice in heat-exchange relation with the liquid in the chamber, suchthat jacket liquid flowing into the chamber through said port isthermally expanded and vaporized to cause its expulsion from the chamberand return through said port to the jacket space prior to a further flowof jacket liquid to the chamber.

2. In combination with a jacketed space for a cooling liquid, a housingmounted on the jacket and having a single restricted avenue ofcommunication with the liquid in the jacket space, and means disposed insaid housing for supplying heat to the liquid entering the housingwhereby the liquid takes on heat and is vaporized sufiiciently to causeits expulsion to the jacketspace by way of said single avenue ofcommunication, said means comprising a cell element in direct contactwith the liquid, and an electrical resistance coil in said cell elementdisposed in heat exchange relation closely adjacent the walls of thecell element.

3. In combination with an engine having a cooling liquid jacket spaceprovided with a restricted port at a low zone of such jacket space, anelectrically energized heating device mounted in said jacket port forheating the liquid, said device comprising a housing open at one end tothe jacket space at said restricted port and through which liquid passesto the housing and vaporized liquid is expelled from the housing to thejacket space, a cell element closing the opposite end of said housingand defining a housing chamber for the liquid, and an electricallyenergized heating unit disposed in said cell in heatexchange relationwith the walls thereof for rapidly veporizing the liquid to cause itsexpulsion to the jacket space.

4. A heating device for use with an engine jacket cooling fluid, thejacket having a port in a wall thereof, said device including a tubularhousing having a restricted passage nipple end for mounting connectionat the jacket port and through which jacket fluid is constrained to passto said housing and vaporized liquid is expelled from the housing to thejacket space, a tubular cell element closing the opposite end of saidhousing and having its walls spaced from the housing walls to define achamber for jacket fluid, and an electrically energized heating unitmounted in said cell element in heat-exchange relation with the cellwalls for rapidly vaporizing the liquid to cause its expulsion to thejacket space.

5. In combination with an engine having a cooling fluid jacketed spacethrough which the fluid normally flows in cooling the engine, the jacketbeing provided with a port at a low zone thereof, a fluid heating devicemounted at the jacket port for receiving fluid from the jacket, saiddevice including a housing open at one end to said port by a restrictedpassage, an element closing the opposite end of said housing andextending thereinto in spaced and nested relation to form with thehousing a chamber for jacket fluid, an electrically energized heatingunit in said element in heat-exchange relation therewith to pass heat tothe fluid in said chamber, the heated fluid being expelled from thechamber by vaporization for return to the jacket space by way of theport, and means electrically insulating and sealing the unit in saidelement.

6. The combination with an engine jacket space for cooling fluid and inwhich the jacket is provided with a port at a low point thereof, anelongate, tubular housing having a reduced diameter throat zone, anipple end portion adjacent thereto, and an opposite open end, a cellelement nested in said opposite end of the housing in spaced relation toform a chamber internally of the housing, the cell element having aflanged connection with the housing and adapted to seal the chamber atthe flange, an electrically energized heating unit mounted in said cellin heatexchange relation with the cell walls, means electricallyinsulating said unit from said cell and housing, a closure cap for saidopposite end of the housing to retain the heating unit in position, andan adapter mounting said device in the jacket port with the longitudinalaxis of said housing directed angularly to elevate the nipple endthereof above the chamber, whereby jacket fluid flows by gravity intothe chamber and is expelled reversely through the nipple and adapter byvaporization effects upon heating.

'7. A fluid heating device for connection with a body of fluid to beheated, the device including a housing open at one end zone forreversible fluid flow connection with the body of fluid, a cell elementdisposed in said housing and adapted to seal the opposite end zonethereon-the cell being 6 otherwise spaced from said housing to provide achamber for receiving the fluid, a spool disposed in said cell andprovided with opposite end flanges to space the intervening surface ofthe spool from the cell walls, a resistance wire wrapped about saidspool surface, post elements on said spool for securing the ends of saidwire in spaced relation, a current supply cord electrically connected atsaid post elements with said resistance wire, a body of insulatingmaterial embedding said post elements and connections in spacedrelation, and a closure for said housing seated over and retaining theinsulating body in posi- 'tion.

8. A heating device as defined by claim 7, and further characterized inthat the intervening surface of said spool is surficially, spirallygrooved to provide a seat for the resistance Wire wrapped thereon,whereby to maintain the several turns of the wire in spaced relation andelectrically separate.

9. A fluid heating device for connection with a body of fluid to beheated, the device comprising a cylindrical housing having one endreduced to provide a nipple for connection with the body of fluid, andthe opposite end zone enlarged to provide an internal shouldered seat, acylindrical cell element having a closed end and a flanged end, saidelement being disposed within said housing and connected thereto by saidflange at the shouldered seat, the flange connection at said seataffording a seal closing the space between the cell and housing toprovide a chamber for receiving fluid through said nipple, a spoolelement of insulating material in said cell and formed at its ends withflanges to retain the intervening portions spaced from said cell, anelectrical resistance wire coiled about the intervening portion of saidspool, means on said spool to anchor the respective wire end portions inspaced relation, means for supplying an electrical current to saidresistance wire, and means closing the enlarged end of said housing andelectrically insulating said wire anchor means from contact with thehousing.

10. A fluid heating device as defined by claim 9, and furthercharacterized in that the intervening portion of said spool elementbetween its end flanges is surficially threaded to provide a retainingseat for said resistance wire.

TAGE V. P EDERSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,185,849 Smith June 6, 19161,386,844 Cowen Aug. 9, 1921 1,511,779 Sardeson et a1 Oct. 14, 19241,584,245 Robinson May 11, 1926 1,916,237 Sloan July 4, 1933 2,096,635Goodwin Oct. 19, 1937 2,401,847 Urbant et al June 11, 1946 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 94,924 Switzerland of 1921

